This paper analyses new firm formation in the Amsterdam restaurant industry, on the basis of an in‐depth research of 37 new restaurants, through the lens of the theory of evolutionary economic geography. The findings show that restaurateur‐chefs largely replicate the kitchen of their parent firms whereas restaurateur‐managers can more easily switch to a different type of kitchen. It means that replication of individual knowledge and skills are more important than replication of routines. Restaurateurs who came from other related industries did not bring something special from their former jobs in their restaurants. In addition, new restaurants benefit differently from extra‐firm relations (with respect to attracting capital, monitoring other restaurants, finding chefs and cooks, relations with suppliers and media) during their start‐up process and thereafter. Those extra‐firm relations are found at the local, national, and global scale.